Jeff Conine, a 17-season major league baseball player, will take to the water and roads of Kona this weekend during the 2008 Ford Ironman World Championships. The two-time all star and two-time World Series champion is racing on a sponsor's exemption.

At 42-years-old and just over 200 pounds, Conine isn't exactly the svelte ex-pro taking on another sport like former pro cyclists Steve Larsen and Laurent Jalabert, who have both found success in Iron-distance racing. But then again, pro cycling and pro baseball are two different beasts.

"There are some similarities between baseball and triathlons: So much of it is mental. Triathlons are a grind, just like playing 162 games in a season is a grind. I prided myself on having a great work ethic, which is something my father taught me."